The food was spectacular. This is not a cut to the chefs of this possible fine restaurant, but at the attitudes of the "hostess". I say possible fine restaurant because it is a beautiful establishment that I have enjoyed in the past, but after this Friday evening's visit, I do not plan to return.
The American HeritageÆ Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
defines hostess as: host∑ess (hsts) n. 4. A woman who is employed to greet and assist patrons, as in a restaurant. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) defines hostess as: Hostess \Host"ess\, n. A female host; a woman who hospitably entertains guests at her house[/place of business].
Let me recount my evenings experiences to the reader. We, being my mother and I, set out for a pleasurable dinner for the two of us. We chose a previous mutually enjoyed location, Oasis cafe, at 82nd First St. in Orangeville, ON. Upon entering, we walked to their front food display and placed our orders for dessert, to ensure quantity lasted past our entrées, and then orders for our meal and beverage, which we did want served first. We shared pleasant conversation and sipped at our drinks while we waited a temperate interval for our meals. During the course of our stay, the hostess was seen to wander among the other patrons to ask was everything alright and did they need anything else, at least twice, before my mother had to literally flag her down to request a second glass of water. After this point, when we completed our main course, we waited and watched the hostess make a third round of the tables, excluding ours, to gauge the comfort of her guests. At this point we waited more than ten minutes with our plates piled and awaiting removal before, our criticism of the service most likly having been over heard, the hostess finally returned to our table to see if we would like dessert. Promptly, a wonderful young lady returned with our previously ordered sweets and my coffee and proceeded to knock over the cream she brought. Surprisingly enough, this was the most attentive server of the evening, her debacle being much to her surprise and she was unnecessarily over apologetic. Not wanting to seem one to cry over spilled milk, I said nothing to the hostess upon our departure, because I did not wish the young lady's accident to be the blame of our terrible stay. The difference between my mother and I and the rest of the clientele was that of apparel, us being much more casual in dress than those at other tables; myself having oddly coloured hair which stands out. This is the only difference I could discern between my group and the others and to me this does not seem reason enough to warrant such inattentiveness from our hostess. We were paying customers just the same as the others, did we not deserve the same level of treatment they did? Like I said earlier, I will not be patronizing this location again, which is a loss to myself because I truly enjoy their menu. However atmosphere of the sort I witnessed this evening is enough to keep me away. I heard mention that our hostess was indeed the owner and if this is the case then I feel the shame that she obviously does not for such a lowly posture.
